TargetTalk

Just to reiterate my theory behind this thread in case it's getting lost. I don't want it to seem like we're talking just about the effects of bullet damage overall; spinning the bullet is supposed to compensate for this to a large degree. My concern is specific to .22 ammunition, and the unusual ch...

That's a good idea, Mark. I don't shoot or even own a rifle, nor do I have a Ransom rest, so I'll have to give some thought on how to lock down my Hammerli or other .22 pistol to make a reliable test rig. Given that, it just makes sense to test with the same ammunition and deliberately damage the si...

I'm not arguing against the use of cheap ammo per se: certain guns like certain ammunition, and it doesn't have to be the expensive stuff to shoot well. The only factor that being cheap plays in this case is the packaging, or the lack of it. How sensitive is the .22 to damage to that exposed area of...

The .22 is a heeled round, meaning that it actually tapers as it enters the cartridge case. I assume that this means that the gas seal is not accomplished by the base of the bullet as in most calibers, but rather by the sides of the bullet outside of the case. If this is so (and I know it's dangerou...

I shoot bullseye pistol. I'm always struggling with consistency in my shooting; to me it's like a puzzle with no solution that I can find. Every time I think I've figured out what is required to repeat good shots it stops working. Trying to get my subconscious mind to execute a good shot again and a...

I shoot a Hammerli SP-20 (pre RRS) in .22 and .32. Two other club members also shoot Hammerlis (one RRS and one pre like mine), while four or five others have the Walther GSP in .32. I don't think there is much to choose between them in terms of accuracy. I am told that the GSP is renowned for its a...

This being so much a mental game, I think that whether or not many shooters adjust their sights by a click or two is largely a mental effect. As seen earlier posts, it may not be enough of a mechanical effect to actually fix the shift in group. What it does fix is mental comfort. If you believe that...

I use an iris at my indoor range, but mostly because my eyes can't focus on the front sight without it. It does provide very good visual feedback. However, that benefit can have its price in making it very easy to midrange (focus on the bull rather than the sight) and especially in tempting a consci...

Perhaps "cocky" isn't the right word, but it's close. Over-confident? Thinking it's easy and not staying mentally focused because of it? I'm sure you know what I mean. I'm not referring to an interaction with others, but rather one's internal attitude during the act of shooting. I have to ...

It's a fascinating emotional balance, isn't it? You need to be calm without being so relaxed that your grip gets sloppy. You need to be genuinely confident and have a positive self-image, but without being cocky or losing concentration on the results. You need to concentrate without applying too muc...

Very good explanation, Mr. Hall! It explains what I see very well, especially the fact that it can be occluded by the recoil, since these are often shots that I call as good but aren't. In other cases, I see the movement, but the mind seemed to be okay with the shot. Physical causes make more sense,...

Here's something that I have wondered about that relates directly to the "last 200 milliseconds" theme of this thread. I accept that my subconscious reactions are much, much, much faster than my conscious reactions or perceptions. When my subconscious throws a shot and that front sight doe...

I agree very much with the logbook comments and go through the same thing -- "why did I stop doing that?". I wonder how many, like myself, also go through the "fix of the week" syndrome -- where some mental or physical alteration suddenly seems to bring it all together and the sh...

Hmmm... I don't think so. I would agree when talking about the natural drift of the barrel equally around a fixed Point of Aim, but not the movement of the muzzle end (front sight) of the barrel by itself. This creates an angle of deviation from the parallel, and the further away the target is, the ...

I'd be interested in hearing Ed's and other's thoughts on a couple of things. I have concluded that I only shoot really well when I am so visually and consciously focused on the front sight that I am not even aware of my trigger finger during that last second before the shot breaks -- I don't feel i...

I'm not the Ed being quoted, but I find this area so fascinating that I'm going to chime in here. Our conscious and subconscious are completely interleaved in our mind; together they define the "I" that is us. By definition, we are not consciously aware of our subconscious, but the subcons...

The scope tells me where a shot actually hit the paper. :-) If I am making a consistent error, it can identify that error and allow me to correct it before all ten shots are gone during a competition. During practice, it can serve to confirm that I did call shots correctly as they occur, too. This i...

The mental game is extremely interesting. I'm not yet a top shooter, and struggle with the aspects under discussion here. The very best precision group that I have ever shot was done under curious circumstances. It was NRA precision, and I was working on positive self-image at the time. I inadvertan...

The Model 41 is an excellent first gun, especially if you are unsure if you want to continue in the sport and don't want to spend a fortune on a firearm. Those expensive guns have a number of benefits, of course. An ergonomic grip that fuses the gun into the hand ensures consistency and that makes a...

I think your question "what is the most popular?" begs the question "why do you want to know?" If it's for purchase decisions, then it needs to be said that the most popular car, most popular computer, most popular whatever, is virtually never the best. It's just the most poplula...